Musicography 1963-2008

Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands as Franklin Carlo van Splunteren Catalani

The Van Splunteren family moved to Belgium in 1950 and subsequently emigrated to the beautiful South American country of Venezuela in 1955. Elementary school for Franklin was split between Dutch boarding schools and Venezuelan schools.  He went back to Holland 1960-1964. Franklin is foremost a guitarist, then a songwriter, and  vocalist.

1963 - Netherlands  His first real band was in Baarn, Holland (the Vulcans, 1963).
This was an instrumental quartet comprised of fellow school mates, with a heavy Hank Marvin - Shadows influence.

1964-1966 Venezuela
Coming back to Venezuela in 1964 he immediately joined up with Venezuelan musicians, forming Egmond Stars  and jamming with Maracaibo's teen musicians.
His first amateur TV appearance came in 1964 in Curacao with Cesar Sanchez Bello whom he had met the day before at the airport. He then founded the Caracas group Barrenderos, quickly becoming a fixed feature on TV,  Ritmo y Juventud, Canal 13 and el Club del Clan (sometimes alternating with friend Adib Casta and the Claners, or Rudi Marquez, Edgar and Henry Stephens of the Impalas on RCTV), often twice a week. By 1965 the Barrenderos had over 80 TV appearances to their credit. He Joined the Holidays in 1965, and recorded their second album 'Sounds of the Holidays' with them.
Influences were mostly British pop bands, especially the Hollies. The Holidays were impeccably rehearsed, practiced at Rurik's house in Las Palmas, and then performed in the Ritmo y Juventud Canal 4 studios across the street. Athough living in a different era, about this time Franklin also starts to be overwhelmed by the talent and technique of the old masters, and acknowledges an eternal  debt of gratitude to the influence of Bach, Corelli and especially Handel.

Franklin recorded his first original compositions on this album, and for reasons of reduced available space on the album label for author credits, and the length of his last name, he changed his artistic name to Franklin Holland.

Holidays receive the Gold Record on TV. Left to right: Froggie(Bass),Wolfgang(Vocals) Francisco (Rhythm Guitar) Franklin (Guitar, Vocals), Rurik (Drums).


June 1966 - December 1966 Barcelona, Spain: The Holidays also were the first Venezuelan rock group to work and record in another country, had many TV appearances (Ritmo y Juventud, el Show de Renny, Canal13, Club del Clan). From this band only singer Wolfgang Vivas (with Alvaro Falcon's Casablanca band in Caracas, sings solo and with other performers like Biella)  and Franklin still perform. In Spain, Wolfgang often would be lead vocal and Franklin chorus, or sometimes the other way round, with Froggie also doing a fine job as a vocalist. Since bass player Jose 'Negro' Fortuol was not able to travel, guitarist Jean Louis "Froggie" Azjenberg was drafted, and Franklin helped him learn to play the bass while they were performing on the ship to Spain, which he learned how to play well in only two weeks! Influences were still pop oriented, but mixed in with an intense interest in improvisation.

Above, Rurik, Froggie, Francisco, Franklin, Wolfgang: the Holidays in Barcelona, Spain, and left, the schedule for the famous San Carlos Club, September 1966. FIRST Rock group from South America to play Europe!

1967-1971 Caracas: After returning in 1966 from a very intense professional and learning experience on Spain's Barcelona and the Costa Brava, Rurik Grassi, Froggie and Franklin formed Venezuela's first rock trio (Fresh Holidays), heavier in tone and fully improvisational in nature, and recorded another album (Toque Psicodelico) on the same Discomoda label. The reason for going from a traditional 5 piece band to a trio, was the growing need to improvise which is well suited for the trio, whereas the five piece was usually very well rehearsed. Fresh Holidays dominated the societal scene in Caracas, alternating very frequently with  Billo's Caracas Boys, Duo Dinamico and the Melodicos.  Below the Froggie, Franklin and Rurik, the FIRST Rock trio in Venezuela, 1966!! This is a feat to be proud of, considering that this is before trios came in vogue, like Cream and Hendrix.

When Froggie leaves for his native France, Franklin regroups Fresh Holidays with Randy Cottin (drums)  and Chuchu Diaz (bass). Chuchu was replaced by former Jensen lead guitarist Ruben Dubuc, but on bass. Franklin also became the musical co director with Claudio Torres of Viva la Gente (Up with People, Adelante Juventud), a 150 member singing group funded by the private industry.
He wrote a complete new 20 piece, 4 voice  repertoire, and recorded an album with them (1968).
In 1968 he listens in awe and disbelief to Clapton and Cream's live Wheels of Fire, followed by Goodbye Cream, which greatly impacts on his style. He is by now firmly established as a improvising  guitarist, bandleader and singer/songwriter.

With Domingo Guzman (Drums) and Ruben Dubuc he formed Wall, with the idea of writing a rock opera, and with ex-Tse Mud Gustavo Calle (drums) and Ruben he formed 'Supergrupo' in 1969, a very heavy, improvisational trio. A few years later ('73) Gustavo, Franklin and Ruben attempted to form another SuperGrupo, but in Boston, where Gustavo attended Berklee.

Wall Left to Right: Ruben Dubuc, Bass/Vocals.  Domingo Guzman, Drums. FranklinHolland, Guitar/Vocals.

 

1967-1971 continued:

Franklin also formed a group with Mario Seijas (drums) and Steve Scott (bass, vocals) around this same time.  1967-1971 marks this completely free improvisational period for Franklin who would draw the inspiration for creating the lyrics and melody out of the emotional (and other) atmosphere of the moment. Although the results were not commercial (i.e. no repetitive lines to remember), the music and lyrics were always fresh and new with each performance. The fourth major influence in his musical life is Miles Davis' Bitches Brew with Chick Correa.
CONTINUES RIGHT TOP --->
 

1971-1979 USA : During his first (scientific) studies in the US he enrolls at LSU in Baton Rouge La, and eventually earns a BS in mathematical physics from Suffolk University in Boston,then enrolls in the Ph.D program at Boston College for two years also earning a Masters Degree in Nuclear Physics from the University of Massachusetts. 

This was followed by  San Antonio Blues in Texas (1973). In 1973 Franklin moved to Boston, and rented a house together with Gustavo Calle and Ruben Dubuc, in an attempt at re-launching Supergrupo in Boston . This was folllowed by a semi-acoustic duo with singer/comedian Chance Langton on the Martin Acoustic and Franklin on the Firebird Electric, playing mostly New England folk music clubs (1974-77). 

 

 

 

 

 

1980-1986 Venezuela: by 1980, leaving his doctoral studies unfinished for now, he went back to Venezuela for family reasons, and founded ' Grupo Sorpresa' with Sandro Liberatoscuolli, Cesare della Noce and Holiday's band mate Rurik Grassi..

Before The Franklin Holland project he would also typically play as a guest player ,as illustrated in the above billboard.  Below: Rurik, Franklin Sandro Liberatoscuolli,  Cesar della Nocce,el grupo Sorpresa.

Franklin briefly joins Edgar de Sola's 'Ficcion' and by 1983 GRAF was formed with Rod Serra, Angelo Falconi and George Spiteri.
 Rod and Franklin then organized Proyecto Franklin Holland, with the intent of creating a coherent, original Hispanic rock concept. Below: Mata de Coco
The original Franklin Holland Project  was Victor Fiol (bass), Gerardo Ubieda (drums), Rod 'Pocho" Serra (guitar) and Franklin on vocals, guitar and keyboard.
Gerardo opted after a while to return to Tempano, and was replaced by Pedro 'Conan' Rodriguez. The Sonografica album (1985) explores the nature of music and the relationship between musician and public and other existential puzzles, and includes musical contributions from friends Ilan Chester
 and Alvaro Falcon. The latter co-produced. Proyecto Franklin Holland was picked as The best Band of the Year 1984 (Grupo Revelacion) and toured the cities of Caracas, Valencia, Maracay, Barquisimeto, Puerto Ordaz and Maracaibo in venues like Mata de Coco below:

<<<Victor Fiol,       Rodolfo Serra

             
1986: Solo Franklin recorded an English language  album (Halley's Mandala) with Gerardo Ubieda, Enrique Santana and Rafucho Figliuolo, intended for the 'Caribe' and perhaps the US, including a contribution from the amazing Otmaro Ruiz. This was his first solo vs. band concept.



1987-1993: USA Returning to the US in 1987, Franklin only briefly performed with blues musicians (Tobacco Road and other appearances, 1987). He moved from Miami to Detroit with few musical encounters. He moves back to Florida, and attempts to set up a musical production company with Otmaro Ruiz.


1993-2001: Miami The next musical venture was a duo with singer Leonor Jove (1993), recording in Miami and in Caracas at Boris Milan's studio, the first digital recording. During this period he also commences his secondary studies (Systems Engineering), and Franklin earns a Master's certificate in telecommunications, the ABD, and Master's Degree in Computer Information Systems, both from the University of Miami. In 2001, Franklin joins Rod Serra, this time as an acoustic duo.

2002-2004: By 2002, it is clear that it is time to revive the Franklin Holland Project, in order to present original material. Franklin uses the acoustic setup as a core for the new project, and adds vocalists to join him for recording purposes, including the amazingly talented Kyle Knuppel, who left to attend the Graduate Program ( classical tenor ) at Juilliard.
 
Alvin Stone joins in June as a vocalist/keyboard player, 2002, Jose 'Patuo' on bass, with percussion, drums and keyboards to follow. Franklin's also invites his nephew Don Vans, an accomplished, formally trained  musician in his own right. Miami's Matt Goff joins Gerardo on drums (Kyle as well as Matt are both graduates of the University of Miami's excellent Jazz program).

The acoustic core will be used for the middle of the sets, with the inner and outer songs performed electrically.

Antonio Tahan also joins as sound/recording engineer and business advisor. Franklin hopes eventually to utilize these simple tunes as a platform for improvisation as in his 1967-1971 'free' period. But because of personal and family pressures, the project is abandoned, more so after technical problems destroy an all-night recording.

2005-Present: In 2005 old friend Domingo Guzman expresses a strong interest in reviving some of Franklin material from the sixties, especially the opera Life. Franklin starts jamming with Domingo and guitarist/bassist Francisco Llamozas. The next year, old friend guitarist/drummer Eddie Gugliotta joins the Venezuelan exodus as well as the jam sessions at the Llamoza studio.

In 2006, Franklin starts up the next project, after an intense revision of musical values and intention and is trying to synthesize 44 years of writing and interpretation, playing most or all instruments. He hopes to mix the old and new in a different manner, and bring the project To Xanadu to market in 2007.

Collaborations 2006-2007: He is also collaborating within other musician's projects as a guitarist. His latest collaboration, and in a musically different direction was with Cesare della Noce on that artist's interesting Ora Pro Nobis album on Musea Records, available on Amazon, as well as Rod Serra's new project, where they write 'After the Crossroads together', for Rodolfo's 'Las Calles de mi Ciudad' CD, published 2008.

Original Compositions - Baroque / MIDI
Recorded
1995 Suite in E
1996 Karlina Concert	Celebrating his daughter
1999 Castle in Spain, 3 others	Travels in Spain with daughter
1997-2000 3 suites
2003 Gabrielle	Celebrating his wife
1999-2001 Caracas Baroque	The Venezuelan Connection
Viterbo 1703 - Miami 2003	Flash from the Past
2004 Canterbury Tales	Funny Stories
The other (non-guitar) side of the coin: Franklin's musical expression is fundamentally polarized by two opposing musical tendencies: on the left hand side a disciplined, formal written approach, with european baroque cadences and phrasing, and on the right hand side a freely improvising somewhat surreal interpretation of afro-american blues and R&B.  By 1990 technology had advanced to such a degree that Franklin had the privilege, like many other musicians, of being able to write music directly and have it played back in MIDI, a great help, having avoided formal musical training.
mp3 1999-2001 Caracas Baroque
These compositions are characterized by baroque cadences and somewhat complex timing tending towards the venezuelan native  'Joropo' at times. The first movement (Eternal Dance) follows this pattern especially; the second movement ('Meditation') is more tranquil, while the third movement seeks to resolve some of the first and second movement cues.
mp3 Viterbo 1703 - Miami 2003
Viterbo 1703 - Miami 2003. There is a flash of memory of people, of a town named Viterbo, of a medieval marketplace, of voices in the morning sun and faint music from the town square. This music attempts to musically bridge the 300 year chasm and bring the people back to life.
mp3 2004 Canterbury Tales The Canterbury Tales are stories, written by England's Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century. 24 pilgrims tell the stories to keep each other entertained during the long journey. Franklin wrote music to several of these tales, including the Prologue wherein all characters are introduced. All music is written in MIDI .
INTERSILO AUDIO  PLAYER Select a song or theme from this list [1] Viterbo 1703 - Miami 2003 (2003, baroque): Memories [2] Canterbury Tales Album (2004, baroque): Jacobus [3] Caracas Baroque Album: Third Movement [4] Al Publico Album (1985): Al Musico [5] Al Publico Album (1985): La Musica No Morira! [6] Xanadu Album (2006): Smokey Mountain Blues [7] Way to Xanadu - [8] Al Publico Album (1985): El Sueno [9] Las Calles de mi Ciudad Album (Rodolfo Serra): After the Crossroads [10] Ora Pro Nobis by Cesare della Noce: Invocando la Luz [11] Ora Pro Nobis by Cesare della Noce: Hombres Honorables  © Design F.van Splunteren 2007 intersilo.com  Links Google links for Franklin Hollandland

Bands & Groups:

1963-1964 Vulcans Netherlands
1964-1964 Egmond Stars Curacao, Venezuela
1964-1965 Barrenderos Venezuela
1965-1965 Dangers Venezuela
1965-1966 Holidays Venezuela
1966-1964 Holidays Spain
1967-1969 Fresh Holidays Trio Venezuela
1968-1969 Adelante Juventud Venezuela
1969-1970 Wall Venezuela
1970-1971 Supergrupo Venezuela
1971-1972 Palatka Band Florida USA
1972-1973 Baton Rouge Blues Louisiana USA
1972-1973 John Fred & Playboys Louisiana USA
1973-1973 San Antonio Jammers Texas USA
1973-1974 SuperGrupo  Boston USA
1974-1977 Chance & Franklyn duo Boston USA
1978-1978 Sun Pop Miami USA
1980-1982 Grupo Sorpresa Venezuela
1983-1983 Ficcion Venezuela
1983-1984 GRAF Venezuela
1984-1986 Proyecto Franklin Holland Venezuela
1986-1986 Franklin Holland II (solo) Venezuela
1987-1987 Together Blues Miami USA
1993-1993 Holland & Jove Venezuela
2001-2001 Holland & Serra Miami USA
2002-2003 Franklin Holland Project Miami USA
2008-Now Franklin Holland (Solo)

1965 Sounds of the Holidays (Album) Discomoda Venezuela

LOS HOLIDAYS
SOUNDS OF THE HOLIDAYS 1966

Bass:Negro Fortuol
Drums:Rurik Grassi
Vocals: Wolfgang, Negro Fortuol, Franklin Holland
Guitars: Franklin Holland, Ferenc

DISCOMODA CARACAS

mp3 Before our love will..

ADELANTE JUVENTUD 1968

The original album was not available, and contains 12 tracks, several of which are Franklin Holland originals. This compiled album only includes one, non-original track of the Adelante Juventud album  ('de que color es la piel de Dios')

1-Sunday Morning
2-For heaven's sake
3-Story of a lonely soul
4-Afterwards

Sample Collaborations with other artists: